THE sniff of sea air was a lot sweeter for Kevin Davies last Saturday than it was exactly two years ago.

Bolton clinched a place in the UEFA Cup with a draw at Portsmouth last weekend, and he knew he would be heading out across the Channel to play in Europe next season.

The irony of the situation wasn't lost on the 28-year-old striker, whose career was heading in the wrong direction when he was axed by Southampton, little more than a training run down the road, on the eve of their 2003 FA Cup final with Arsenal.

Those two years turned full circle on Saturday as he got special attention from the Fratton Park boo-boys because of his Saints past.

Davies, an outside tip for a place on England's two-game trip to America at the end of the month, is grateful to manager Sam Allardyce for flinging him a lifebelt, but he is keen to emphasise just how hard he has worked to make a success of his move to the Reebok.

He said: "There has been a lot of hard work for me and the staff. It has paid off and I'm feeling great.

"Getting into Europe is a personal triumph as well as a team triumph. It has been a big turn-round for me since I joined the club.

"The gaffer gave me a chance and I've taken it. I'm enjoying the football and the challenge. It's great to be part of Bolton's team at this time in their history.

"I've always had faith in myself, but I needed that chance. It's not only payback to the gaffer, because I've had to put in a lot of hard work and it has been tough.

"You've got to work hard in this team and I've enjoyed every game.

"I played in the UEFA Cup once for Blackburn (against Lyon) and it's a great feeling to know I am going to play in the competition again. I hope we'll be able to go on a bit of a run. We've got the players here with a lot of experience who should help us to do it.

"Most of the players the gaffer has brought in have done really well. We haven't under-achieved and deserve this place in Europe."

Striker

Davies knows that Allardyce will add a striker to his squad this summer but said: "I'll be happy to see new players come in. You need competition, and the pull of the UEFA Cup will help us attract them. We need to keep improving.

`We've been on a great run since the turn of the year and have only lost three games. God knows what turned it round after our bad run up to Christmas - probably the draw against West Brom on New Year's Day.

"We'd lost a bit of faith but we recovered, and getting into the UEFA Cup is a great achievement."